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Pop Culture, Sparkling Wine
Prosecco Party: Getting Bubbly With Francesco Zonin

Francesco Zonin is at a loss for words. Dressed in a dark bespoke suit crafted by a tailor in Naples, the president of Zonin USA is friendly but reserved, with the bemused air of someone who has been very fortunate in life. During a tasting with friends and writers (including BrokeAss Gourmet Gabi Moskowitz and Morgan First of Second Glass/Wine Riot) on the patio of the former Colosseo in North Beach, the model-handsome scion of one of the most important wine families in Italy seems like he’s used to being master of his universe. Yet, when I ask him why Prosecco has gotten so popular, Zonin gives that Italian “non lo so” shrug. “We’ve been trying to figure that out over the past few days,” he says, sipping a glass of their flagship wine. “The answer is we really don’t know.” “Prosecco is gaining market share from other sparkling wines in…
July 25, 2012
Bubbly Events, Drinks
Celebrate Summer with A New Strawberry Cocktail

It’s officially here: the start of summer 2012! But the weather has been so gorgeous for the past few weeks that I already initiated it by creating some new summer drinks starring strawberries. Even though strawberries make their first appearance in spring, it’s this time of year when they start to get really sweet, plentiful and affordable, which makes them perfect for cocktails. The Pink Berry Punch, shown above, is a non-alcoholic drink that I made with organic Driscoll’s strawberries, pineapple and pink grapefruit juice along with Perrier Mineral Water. It was easy, since I fed everything into my juicer. And I showed a crowd of 50 guests how easy it was to use the Breville Juice Fountain to make drinks last Saturday at Bloomingdale’s San Francisco Centre during the Cuisine Noir Magazine Summer Celebration. The demo, which included two delicious recipes by Chef Berlin Lillard II (for a crispy glazed…
June 20, 2012
Drinks
Drink a Desert Rose Margarita for Cinco de Mayo

Who doesn’t love a margarita, especially on an important drinking holiday like Cinco de Mayo? As you’re probably aware, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s equivalent of the Fourth of July. May 5 was the date of an important battle near the city of Puebla where the Mexican army defeated French forces. Here in the US, it makes a great time to enjoy Mexican beer, tequila and margaritas. There are so many great twists on the classic lime and tequila cocktail (Pink Cadillac anyone?), so I thought of a way to add some of my favorite tropical fruits to the drink while I was writing my champagne cocktail book The Bubbly Bar. A few drops of rose water, guava and passion fruit make my Desert Rose one of the most fragrant margaritas you’ll ever enjoy. Desert Rose In this sultry sparkling version of a margarita, guava nectar and passion fruit…
May 5, 2012
Dinner Tonight, Food + Recipes
Spanish Shrimp with Bacon, Cheddar and Chive Grits for #letslunch

Shrimp ‘n’ grits is a classic Southern dish, especially around the Low Country of South Carolina. I like the way grits make a blank starchy canvas that can be easily paired with so many other flavors. A pot of grits is the easiest thing in the world to stir up; make it interesting by adding some butter, a little white cheddar, browned bacon and chives. The shrimp that go with grits are usually seasoned with garlic, Cajun style seasoning, cayenne and herbs, kind of like a kicked up shrimp scampi. But since Mark Bittman told me about this Spanish inspired recipe that stars Spanish paprika with ground cumin, I haven’t looked back. The Simplest and Best Shrimp Dish Makes: 4 servings Time: About 30 minutes Adapted from How to Cook Everything Excuse the superlatives; this spin on a Spanish tapa is my favorite, and everyone I serve it to loves…
May 4, 2012
Celebrity Chefs, Food + Recipes
The Five Best Things I Ate at Pebble Beach Food & Wine

My second visit to Pebble Beach Food & Wine last weekend was amazing; I think it’s now my favorite food and wine festival. I love the fact that it attracts great chefs from all over the country along with some of the best wines in the world. And since it’s in California, it feels a lot more relaxed than Aspen. During the Grand Tasting, guests have three hours to eat and drink their way through two large tents. The trick is to figure out which chefs are doing the best morsels, and get there early, before the line gets too crazy. Here are the best things we ate: 1. Michael Cimarusti’s Striped Bass Cheeks Cimarusti is a master at seafood of all sorts. A trip to his LA restaurant Providence is well worth it, both for the creative and technically perfect two-star Michelin food and the surprisingly stylish decor. I…
April 23, 2012